Inji Puli (kinda Ginger Relish)

Inji puli or puli inji has a prominent or rather a permanent space in the onasadya alongwith the pickles. I have had this in massive amount when I was a kid, when my mother’s friend used to make it for Onam and send a pack of it for further season’s relish.

The making of Inji puli has however remained a quest with me since I did not have the confidence that I can come out with the same taste. Once I bought a readymade version which didn’t taste as good as the aunt made one.

Last Onam, I just set out on a trial of Inji Puli beginning with a recipe search on the web and I was astonished to find about 10 – 12 variants. So I had to pick the ingredients to bring out the same old taste and the result was almost the same but not exactly the same…. : - ) …….

…ingredients that went into the making…

Ginger, cubed into tiny pieces – 5 tbsp

Tamarind  – 2 tbsp (mix with water and make a pulp)

Jaggery, grated – 2-3 tbsp (adjust according to preferred sweetness, you can keep adding and tasting)

Oil – 2 – 3 tbsp ( I used veg oil)

Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp

Green chillies – 2

Curry leaves – 5 leaves

Chilly powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – 1 or 2 pinch

Salt – to taste

Rice flour – ¼ - ½ tsp

Yields 1 cup inji puli (as seen in the picture)

the method

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Add the ginger and let it fry. When three fourths done, add green chillies and curry leaves. Sauté for few seconds and add chilly and turmeric powder. Add the tamarind pulp and let it boil. Stir in the grated jaggery and salt and mix well. Let it boil. Mix the rice flour in 2-3 tbsp water to make a rice solution. Pour it into the ginger mixture. Boil it again until the mixture turns to a lightly semi- liquid/solid state. Taste it. Adjust taste and turn off heat. The inji puli will further solidify due to the addition of rice flour which also balances the sharp flavour of tamarind. Use it as a pickle with rice or serve as you please. 

Frijole Mole (Chickpea Spread)

Out of the various addictions i have, reading lifestyle articles is one among them. As you might know nowadays, the newspapers goes beyond reporting news: there is a lifestyle section that includes everything from music, movies, fitness and of course food. 

Frijolemole is adapted from a recipe I found in the newspaper which I would call  is a cousin of hummus. The basic recipe is boiled chickpeas ground to a coarse paste while all the seasoning that goes into the making  is completely different. The seasoning gives an extra freshness to the frijolemole that can be used as a dip or a spread in chapati's, tacos or tortilla wraps.

the recipe

Chickpeas / White Garbanzo beans - 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Onion - 1 medium

Garlic - 3 cloves

Lemon juice - 2 tbsp or slightly more ( as per taste)

seasoning

spring onion with greens - 2

green chillies, de-seeded & finely chopped - 2

tomato, blanched, peeled & chopped - 1

Tobasco sauce or chilly sauce - 1 tbsp ( I used chilly sauce)

coriander leaves, chopped - 1 tbsp

sour cream or hung yogurt  (optional )- 1 tbsp ( i did not use them 'coz  i felt the combination of sauce and yogurt wouldn't suit our palate)

the method

Soak the chickpeas overnight and boil it with salt. Reserve the liquid from the boiled chickpeas. 

Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic till light brown. Turn off heat.

In a blender, place the boiled chickpeas, lemon juice and the sautéed onion and garlic along with the oil. Grind it to a coarse paste. Add the reserved liquid if the mix is too thick. Place the ground mixture in a bowl and add all the seasonings. Mix well. Use it as mentioned above.

Baby Corn Salsa

To me, salsa is a versatile food ‘coz anything can go into it as long as the basics are followed for that fresh taste.

Baby Corn salsa happened as an establishment of my longtime  longing to make some tacos, and there couldn’t have been a better timing when I found these fresh, tender and very light baby corns in a store along with a rare citing in our place – red bell peppers. I lightly sautéed the red bell peppers to replace the jalapenos, usually added in a salsa. The sautéing was done to get rid of the raw taste of the peppers which otherwise my kids would reject. Recipe time.

Baby corn – 4

Tomato, chopped – 2 medium

Onion, chopped – 2 tbsp

Garlic, chopped – 1 clove

Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

Red bell pepper (sauted in a tsp of oil) – 2 tbsp or jalapeno, chopped – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves / cilantro, chopped – 2 tbsp

Salt – to taste

the method

Blanch the baby corns – Boil water (just adequate to immerse the corn) with salt. Place the baby corn in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove from water. Cool and cut it into preferred shape.

In a bowl mix together, the chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, coriander, lemon juice, baby corn and salt. Serve it in tacos or as you please. This can also be served as a salad.

Chocolate & Vanilla Marble Cake

The original post with the detailed recipe is here.

Kedgeree

When it comes to savoury rice it was just the pulao and biryani that I used to prepare. Kedgeree comes as a big difference because it is prepared with eggs and fish and it also gives the option to add whatever you want, like potatoes, raisins and the like.

Kedgeree is eaten as a breakfast in the UK. I would call this an Indo – British dish because it is inspired by the Indian Khitchdi. The protein rich lentil in Khitchdi is replaced by the protein rich fish and egg in Kedgeree.

Though this is officially a breakfast, I prepare this as a quick fix for dinner. As regards seasoning, I have replaced the parsley in the actual recipe with mint leaves and the curry powder with garam masala. 

A vegetarian alternative is of course the khitchdi although the non-veg ingredients can be replaced with paneer or soya chunks (both packed with protein).

More information about the recipe is found here

rice  - 1/2 cup  (i have used short grained basmati jeera rice)
water - 1 cup

oil - 2 tbsp
onion - 1
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
chilly powder - 3/4 tsp (adjust according to taste)
garam masala - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste
tomato, chopped - 2
potato, cubed - 1
raisins - 2 - 3 tbsp
Mint leaves, chopped - 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 1 pinch

Fish - 4 fillets
Egg - 2-3

the method

Marinate the fish fillets with salt and pepper powder. Fry it and flake it. The eggs can be either boiled and chopped or scrambled. I scrambled the egg to save time. 

Heat a pressure cooker and add oil. Stir in the chopped onion and sauté till light brown. Add the turmeric, chilly and garam masala powder and stir for few seconds. Add the tomatoes, salt and sauté for few seconds. Add the mint leaves, potato, fennel, rice, raisins and mix well. Pour the water and close it with the lid. Switch off heat when the first whistle blows. If using a pan, cook till the rice is done.

Add the fish flakes and scrambled egg to the rice mixture and mix well. Serve hot.

Soya Mince Curry

It is a tough task to zero in on a quickie curry for breakfast and therefore I tried the soya mince curry with inspirations from a mince meat curry preparation I saw in a cookery show. Most of the ingredients are the same as in a spicy curry and the new ingredient is boiled onion paste that gives a rich texture to the gravy and balances the pungency of all the spices.

About soya mince (dunno whether it is readily available in shops), I placed a few soya chunks in the blender for about 3 – 5 seconds. It comes out in a coarse powder form which when soaked in water bloats a little.

Hope you will like my experimentation!!

the recipe

Soya mince – ½ cup (blend about 20 soya chunks – the mince can be prepared in advance and stored)

Ginger juliennes – 1 tbsp

Garlic, chopped – 1 tbsp

Tomato – 1 large

Oil – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Spice powders

Pepper powder – ½ tsp

Chilly powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Garam masala – ¼ tsp

Boiled onion paste - boil 1 large chopped onion in ½ cup water and cook till all the water is absorbed. Grind it to a fine paste

the method

Soak the soya mince in hot water for ten minutes. Drain the water and wash again. Use a sieve to drain the soya mince.

Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic. When lightly brown add the ginger. Saute for a minute and stir in the chopped tomatoes till soft. Stir in the spice powders and sauté. Pour the boiled onion paste and ½ cup water. Add salt. Let it boil for a minute. Stir in the soaked soya mince and let it simmer for 5 minutes or till oil separates and is visible above the curry. Check salt. A dash of lemon juice enhances the taste. Serve as you please. We had it with pidis (rice dumplings). 


the recipe goes to Dish it out by Vardhini

Kashmiri Parantha / Kashmiri Paratha

I came across the name Kashmiri Parantha while dining out in a North Indian restaurant in Kochi. Since the name was new to me, I was euphoric to read the menu that gave a small description about what went into the filling: paneer and dry fruits.

The parantha however had many more flavours which I had to guess ’coz a google search to find the exact recipe seemed to offer only bits of information. The search also revealed that there are veg and non-veg versions.

I prepared a veg Kashmiri parantha with the information from the menu, the web and all the taste I could recollect, and the result was ……..try it and you’ll know it!!

the recipe

ingredients for the dough

Wheat flour – 1 cup

Water – ½ cup or a little less

Salt to taste

ingredients for the filling

Paneer, grated – ½ cup

Raisins, chopped into tiny pieces – 5

Cashew nuts, chopped into tiny pieces – 3

Cherry, chopped – 5

Cumin – 1 pinch

Kasuri methi  – ½ tsp (soak for 2-3 minutes and wash it twice)

Oil / Ghee / Butter – as required

the method

Mix together the ingredient for the filling. Keep it aside.

Prepare dough with the wheat flour, water and salt. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll it into paranthas.

placing the filling

Take a parantha and place 1 – 11/2 tbsp of the paneer filling. Close it with another parantha and seal the edges. Cook it on a griddle and apply ghee/ butter / oil.

Kashmiri paranthas tastes good with pickles and raita. A recommended accompaniment is Kashmiri Paneer.

the recipe goes to Stuffed Paratha event by Vardhini

Fish in Coconut milk gravy

Fish curry is an inevitable part of the Malayali meal .... am talking about the non-vegetarians. This should be the reason why there are so many recipes for a fish curry with more and more improvisation made by various influences. Fish in coconut milk gravy is like a staple curry that is prepared on a day-to-day basis or rather on a daily basis in most homes. 

The color in the curry looks fiery as the photograph suggests but the taste was mellowy. Coconut milk balances the taste of the cocum and the chilly and does not even reveal the presence of ginger which contributes a significant flavor to the taste of any fish preparation. 

I mentioned about the improvisation that comes with each homes / cooks: I have improvised this fish curry with a dash of cumin, mustard and fenugreek seeks and I have sauted the ginger and have also ground ginger along with the coconut. This adds to the zing of the curry and leaves a nice taste in the taste buds even after you finish the meal. .........try it yoursel!!

the recipe

Fish – 1 kg

Small onion, chopped – 3

Green chilly – 2

Curry leaf – 2 sprigs

Oil – 3 tbsp

ingredients for the crushed mixture

(to be crushed in the mixer for about 3 seconds – this is similar to pounding)

Small onion – 5

Ginger – 1 ½

Cumin – 1 generous pinch

Mustard – ¼ tsp

Fenugreek – 1 pinch

Tomato – 2 medium sized

Cocum – 6  medium sized pieces

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Chilly powder – 4 tsp or more

Salt – to taste

Coconut milk ( extracted by grinding together ½ part coconut and ½  inch piece ginger)

First extract – ¾ cup

Second extract – ½ cup

the method

Heat oil in a pan and add the three chopped small onions. When brown, add the crushed mixture, green chilly, curry leaves and salt. Saute till light brown. Add turmeric and chilly powder. Stir well for a minute or so. If it starts burning add a little water. Stir in the chopped tomato and cocum. Pour the second extract of the coconut and boil for ten minutes. 

Add the fish pieces and cook for about five - ten minutes in medium heat (Adjust this time based on the type of fish). Swirl the pot instead of using a spoon to mix the fish pieces. Check salt.

(Coconut milk tends to split if poured into a hot sauce, therefore, cook in medium to low heat before and after pouring the coconut milk.)

Add the first extract of the coconut and swirl the pot again. Simmer for 1-2 minutes and then turn off heat.  Serve after one hour.


The recipe goes to Food Palette Red Event

Elephant Foot Yam cutlets

I am making a disclaimer that this is not my recipe but this is one I watched on television a loooooooong time ago.....probably when i was in college or school....and this is the first time that i ever tried......it tasted good

Yam tastes best during July and August.....it is also a time when most tubers taste the best. The veggie cooks faster during these months and I particularly don't taste that itching sensation that usually comes with it. 

Yam  can be cooked in various forms and this is one recipe which even the kids couldn't resist. 

Yam being the common name, the specific name for reference is Elephant foot yam. Stored with immense medicinal value a good read about the benefits of the vegetable is found here.

the recipe

Yam, grated – 400 – 500 gms

Oil – 1 tbsp

Cumin – ¾ tsp

Chillie powder – 1 tsp

Rice flour – 1 ½ - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil to fry

the method

Sprinkle 1 tbsp oil in the yam and mix well. Steam the grated yam so that the water content in the yam evaporates off. Blend together the steamed yam, cumin, rice flour, chilly powder and salt. Shape it and deep fry in oil. While frying make holes in the middle of the cutlets gently to ensure that proper frying takes place in the middle of the cutlets also. Can be snacked or served with rice.


the recipe goes to the event - - dish name starts with E

Meen Vattichathu (Hot & Tangy Fish Curry)

Meen Vattichathu is a fish dish specific to Kerala. As the English name suggests, it is hot with lots of chillies and tangy with lots of cocum. The curry is usually served with rice as a side dish or as an accompaniment with tapioca or even with vattayappam or you can savor it with whatever you feel is appropriate. 

I have given a slight twist to this fish curry; tomatoes are not part of the basic recipe, but i have added them to give a thicker consistency to the gravy and to reduce the heat of the chillies. A tablespoon or two of coconut milk is another option to reduce the heat (the taste doesn't change with both these options but enhances the taste as per our tastebuds).

In Kerala, fish curries are usually prepared using an earthen pot......and i have followed the protocol :-)

the recipe

fish, marinated with 1/2 tsp each salt, turmeric and chiily powder - 500 gms

small onion - 8 + 3 

ginger - 2 inch piece

green chilly - 2 (kanthari mulaku gives a very good taste but beware of the side effects)

mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

curry leaf- 2 sprigs

cocum - 4 - 5 medium sized

chilly powder - 3 tsp 

turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp

tomato - 1 

salt to taste

Oil, preferably coconut oil - 3 tbsp

the method

Pound the 8 small onions, ginger, mustard, fenugreek and chillies (alternatively these ingredients may be crushed in the mixer for 1 second). Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add the 3 chopped small onion. When light brown add the pound onion mixture. Saute till it turns light brown. Reduce the heat. Add curry leaves, turmeric powder and chilly powder. In low flame continue stirring the chilly powder till the sizzling almost stops. Add the chopped tomato and stir till it is soft. Add 1/2 cup water and cocum. Let it boil for ten minutes in medium flame. Add the fish pieces and salt. Hold the pot on either side and give a lightly swirl to mix the gravy with the fish or lightly stir. Continue boiling in medium flame until the fish is cooked. The time required to cook varies according the texture of the fish. Serve after 2-3 hours.

Beef Stroganoff

A vegetarian version of the recipe can be prepared with mushrooms and meat substitutes for beef are chicken and lamb.

Beef Stroganoff is a Russian dish that evolved during the late 19^th century and has adapted its way into the plates around the world. After reading the recipe from various sources, I had a tendency to prepare a fusion recipe with Indian spices. But I just went with the basics and mildly spiced it with rosemary, which is thoroughly optional.  

It is interesting to note that the recipe can be prepared with whatever is available at home though the name sounds completely strange – well it sounded strange to me when I heard it the first time. Some interesting read about the recipe is found here.

Beef Stroganoff is served on a bed of rice or noodles. I tried it with lightly seasoned pasta and it was fabulous. The recipe serves 4.

Beef – 400 gms

Butter – 4 tbsp ( can be substituted with veg oil)

Veg oil – 2 tbsp

Salt – taste

Garlic – 8 cloves

Onion – 2 big, cut into rings

Carrot – 1 , chopped into round pieces

Celery, chopped (optional) – 2 stalks

Rosemary – ½ tsp

Pepper powder – ½ - ¾ tsp

Sour cream – ½ - ¾ cup ( can be substituted with curd / yoghurt)

Flour – 1 ½ tbsp

The method

Cut the beef into 2 inch long, ½ inch wide thin strips. Heat 2 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the beef pieces in batches. Add the remaining butter and oil as and when required till the beef is fried. Keep the beef strips aside.

To the remaining oil add the finely chopped garlic, onion, carrot and celery. When soft, sprinkle the flour and stir till it is completely mixed with the veggies. Add the rosemary, pepper and check salt. Ligthly beat the sour cream and pour it over the veggies in two batches stirring briskly (If you are using curd / yoghurt add 2-3 tbsp water to reduce the sourness). When the cream boils add the meat and simmer for 3 minutes.

To serve

Boil pasta. Heat oil (as required for the amount of pasta) in a pan and add chillies flakes. Add the pasta and toss it.

Place pasta in a plate and top it with Beef Stroganoff.

Nutty Fruity Oats Mittai

the recipe

Oats – 6 tbsp

Sugar – 3 tbsp

Almonds / cashew nutss – 10

Dates – 6

Raisins – 10

Veg oil – 1 tbsp

the method

Lightly roast the oats: for about 3 minutes in a low flame. Chop the dates, raisin and nuts into tiny pieces.

Caramelise the sugar – place the sugar in a flat aluminium pan, let it melt and turn light brown. Add the chopped fruits and nuts and veg oil and cook for 1 minute in low flame. Spread it evenly in the pan. Sprinkle the roasted oats evenly on the fruit and nut mixture and let it stay for 10 seconds. Mix the mixture thoroughly for about two – three minutes till the oats is thoroughly coated with the caramel mixture. Turn off heat. Quickly shape the mixture into preferred shapes. I used the lid of a tiny bottle to make the shape. Use it after the mittais cool completely to get a crunchy consistency. Yields 20 mittais. 

Chocolate & Vanilla Marble Cake

From the very first time I tasted a marble cake, the design has intrigued me. When I learnt how it is done, it seemed quite simple. I prepare the cake both in convection as well as microwave mode. If baked in microwave, the cake does not have crust on the side, but tastes the same and has the same design.

the recipe

flour – ¾ cup (approximately 15 tbsp)

castor sugar –  ½ cup or 12-14 tbsp

baking powder – 1 tsp

vanilla extract – 1 tsp

eggs – 3 (at room temperature)

butter – 75 gms (at room temperature)

cocoa powder – 1 ½ tbsp

milk – ¼ cup

the method

Sift together the flour and baking powder three times.

Preheat oven at 180^oC. 

Prepare a cake tin – apply butter and then sprinkle flour – dust off excess flour (keep the tin in a refrigerator so that the butter doesn’t melt away)

cake mixing

Place the butter in a slightly deep bowl. Use a fork or electric beater and soften the butter. Add the castor sugar 1 tbsp spoon at a time and continue whisking till the mixture doubles in volume. Add the eggs one by one, whisking one minute per egg. When all three eggs are added whisk for another 5 minutes at high speed. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

Add the flour 2 tbsp at a time and mix with a wooden spatula. When the flour is thoroughly mixed, divide it into two portions.

Mix the cocoa powder in ¼ cup milk. Add the mixture to one portion of the cake mixture and mix well.

Use two slightly big spoon - one for the vanilla mix and one for the chocolate.

Place one spoon of vanilla mix in the middle of the cake tin (don’t flatten). Then place one spoon of the chocolate mix on the vanilla. Again place the vanilla mix. Repeat the process alternatively till both the mix is placed in the middle of the cake tin. Using the back side of the spatula or the pointing finger, dig into the middle of the chocolate and vanilla cake mix and make swirls with some gap till the end of the tin. The cake mix would have evenly spread. Pat the sides of the tin to get rid of air bubbles. Bake it in the pre heated oven for 22 – 25 minutes. Once the top has formed crust use an aluminium foil or aluminium plate to cover the tin to prevent burning.

French Onion Soup

You need not have a French onion to prepare this soup…..it can be prepared from the usually variety.

It is a hot soup with lots of pepper which is balanced with the caramelised onions. The basis recipe is prepared with beef broth, but it tastes with chicken or vegetable stock.

Erissery

Erissery can be prepared with red oriental beans or green gram and there are a number of options while choosing the vegetables. Raw banana, yam and pumpkin are the usual veggies and I learnt recently that erissery is prepred with raw jackfruit too. This is almost like my version of erissery b’coz I have added coriander powder and the end result is actually tasty.

 

the ingredients

green gram – ½ cup

pumpkin, cubed – 500 gms

chilly powder – 1 – 1 ½ tsp

turmeric powder – 1 tsp

coriander powder – 1 tsp

salt – to taste

ingredients to be coarsely ground

coconut – ¼ part

cumin – ¾ tsp

small onion – 5

garlic(optional) – 5

for the tempering

oil – 1 tbsp

mustard – ½ tsp

small onion – 3-5

curry leaves – 2 sprig

coconut, grated – ¼ part

the method

The consistency of erissery is similar to a mash so the preferred utensil to prepare it is a pressure cooker.

Pressure cook the green gram to an almost done consistency (two whistle – I dint soak the green gram) with just adequate water. Stir in the pumpkin pieces, turmeric, chilly powder, coriander powder, salt and coarsely ground coconut mixture. Pour water if need be. Pressure cook for one whistle. Now the pumpkin and green gram would have completely cooked. Stir with a spoon to make it into a mash consistency and cook it in high heat if there is excess water. 

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it crackles stir in the onion and curry leaves. Add a pinch of salt and turmeric and stir for few seconds. Add the grated coconut and fry till golden brown. Pour it over the pumpkin mix and stir well.

Masala Curry

Masala curry is one of the dishes in an Onasadya. Though the name is masala, it is mildly spiced that goes well with the other vegetable curries. The masala curry also tastes good with puttu, idiyappam / string hoppers / sevai and hoppers / appam.

the recipe

Black Garbanzo beans / kadala – ¼ cup

Green chilly – 1

Garlic – 5 -7

Boiled Potato – 2 small

Oil – 1 tbsp

Onion – 1

Ginger, chopped – 1 tbsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Turmeric – ¼ tsp

Chilly powder – ½ - ¾ tsp

Garam Masala – ¼ - ½ tsp

Coconut – ¼ part

Salt to taste

the method

Soak the garbanzo beans overnight and cook it with garlic and green chilly.

Heat oil in a pan and stir in the onion. Add ginger and curry leaves and sauté for a minute. Add the turmeric, chilly powder and garam masala and stir for a minute. Then Add the cooked beans and diced potatoes. Add salt. Stir in the ground coconut paste and let it boil till the curry thickens.

Sambar - traditional method

Preparing a sambar from the scratch is not an interesting idea these days. The number of sambar powder brands stands testimony to it. However I like to have the traditional recipe once in a while especially with idlis. The recipe follows…..

Ingredients

Dal – ¼ cup

Green chilly – 1

Condiments to be fried, powdered and ground to a paste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp

Red chilly, dried – 7 – 9

Coconut, grated – 1/4 parts

Vegetables, cubed (whatever is available or as per need)

Drumstick – 2

Potato – 1

Carrot – 1

Pumpkin – 6 – 8 pieces

Ladies Finger / Okra – 5

Beans – 5

Tomato – 2

For the tempering

Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Small onion – 6-8 or Onion – 1

Other ingredients

Tamarind – 2 tbsp soaked in water

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves, chopped (optional) – 1 sprig

Cumin – ½ tsp

Asafoetida – ¼ tsp

the method

Cook the dal with green chilly.

Fry the condiments one by one. Fry the coconut till it is brown in colour. Powder all the condiments together with the fried coconut and cumin. Then, grind the powdered condiments to a smooth paste.

Par boil the vegetables and then add the cooked dal, ground paste, turmeric powder and salt. When the vegetables have completely cooked add tamarind pulp and asafoetida.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Add onion and fry till it is brown in colour. Pour the tempering over the vegetables and dal mixture. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Aromatic sambar is ready!

Beetroot pachadi

the recipe

Beet root, grated – 2

Mustard – ½ tsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

Green chilly – 2 -3

Coconut – ½ cup

Curd – 1 cup

Salt – to taste

the method

Cook the beetroot till done. Grind together the mustard, cumin, green chilly and coconut. Add to the beetroot. Add salt to taste. Whisk the curd and pour to the beetroot mixture.

Olan

Onam is round the corner and it is time to delve into some traditional dishes. Olan is a mild preparation served in a Onasadya. It also tastes good if served with papad or a tangy curry like theeyal.


the recipe

Ashgourd / white pumpkin - 250 gms
Pumpkin - 250 gms
Red Oriental bean (Cowpea bean) - 100 gms
Coconut milk :
First Extract - 1/2 cup
Second Extract - 3/4 cup
Green Chillies - 5 - 7
salt - to tast

for the tempering

oil, preferably coconut oil - 1 tbsp
curry leaves - 1 sprig

Soak the beans overnight and cook it. Cut the ashgourd and pumpkin into flat cubes. Cook the ashgourd in the second coconut milk extract for 5 minutes. Then add pumpkin, green chillies  and salt. When cooked add the cooked beans and first extract of coconut milk.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the curry leaves. Pour it on the ashgourd and pumpkin mixture. Olan is ready.

Cauliflower & Egg Scramble

Cauliflower is a nutritious vegetable with lots of disease preventing components like antioxidants  and VitaminC. (More details about the healthy benefits of cauliflower)

Cauliflower is good for a stand alone recipe or as an additive in soups, rice, curries or fries. Cauliflower and egg scramble can be served with toast, rice or tomato rice.

Caramel Toast for kids

This is a crispy, crunchy and sweet toast which kids and grown up kids would love to eat. Not my own recipe, though I named it for the sake of blogging. The first time I came across a toast with ghee and sugar on it was at one of our acquaintance place when I was in the second standard (at school). My mother also witnessed the same and ….

Onion pakoda / pakora

the recipe

Gram flour / besan / kadala mavu – 8 tbsp or more

Asafoetida – ¼ - ½ tsp
Coriander leaves, chopped – 1 sprig
Chilly powder – ½ tsp
Water – as required
Salt – to taste
Onion, cut into slightly thick julians (lengthwise) – 2
Oil – to deep fry

the method
Prepare a thick batter with gram flour, asafoetida, chilly powder, salt and water. Add coriander leaves, onion and mix well. Heat oil in a pan. Spoon half a tablespoon of the onion mixture and fry it in hot oil.

Thai Prawn Curry

Prawns (big) – 20 – 25

Onion – 1

Capsicum, diced – ¼ cup

Tomato , diced (only the flesh part) – 1

Green chilly or fresh red chilly – 1

Chilly flakes – ½ tsp

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Soya sauce – 2 tbsp

Coconut milk, first extract – ¾ - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Sugar – 1 pinch

Oil – 2 tbsp

Heat oil in a pan and stir in the onion, capsicum, tomato and chilly and sauté for a minute or two. Add chilly flakes, pepper powder and salt. Stir for few second and then add soya sauce. Add a pinch of sugar. Stir in the cleaned prawns. Saute for two minutes and pour the coconut milk. Check salt, bring it to a boil. Serve hot with rice.

Potato Wedges

the recipe

Potato – 250 gms

Pepper powder – ½ - ¾ tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

the method

Cut the potato into wedges. Boil water in a pan. Place the wedges in the water with a little salt and parboil. This takes about 5 minutes. Drain the water.

Heat oil in a pan (preferably a flat pan) and add the parboiled potato wedges. Add salt. Stir till all the sides have become light golden brown. Season with pepper powder and mix well. Can be snacked or served as starters with mayonnaise.

Bittergourd Pachadi

The bitterness of bittergourd seems to have resulted in a variety of recipes. Pavakka pachadi is a curd based dish with mustard paste and fried bittergourd. A tasty dish to go with rice.

the recipe

Bittergourd - 500 gms

Coconut & Mustard paste

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Mustard - 3/4 tsp

Cumin - 3/4 tsp

Greenchilly - 3

Small onion - 3-4 or Onion - 1 medium

Salt - to taste

Frying & Tempering

Oil - to fry

Onion - 1 medium

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Curd, lightly whipped - 3/4 cup

the method

Cut the bittergourd into thin pieces, sprinkle salt and mix well. Heat oil in a pan and fry the bittergourd till light brown.

Make a smooth paste with the ingredients for Coconut & Mustard paste.

Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion till light brown. Add curry leaves and turmeric. Stir in the fried bitter gourd. Add the coconut and mustard paste. Let it boil. Add salt. Turn to low flame and add the whipped curd. Serve with rice, papad.....and sambar.

Shrimp Tempura

Tempura is a cuisine of Portuguese origin with much popularity in Japan. Thin strips of vegetables or sea foods like shrimp or squid are fried in the tempura batter.

Meat & Rice Steam Cake (Puttu)

Rice steam cake or puttu is a staple breakfast of Kerala. Puttu is served with black garbanzo beans or plantain on normal days and it is served with stew or spicy curries - veg or non-veg on special occasions. Puttu is prepared with coconut for the steam to pass through the flour mix and also gives a nice aroma especially when the steam escapes through the lid. Variants of puttu are prepared with wheat, ragi or corn flour. Fruit puttu is prepared by mixing chopped bananas (specific to Kerala) in the flour mix.

Meat puttu or irachi puttu is a delicacy of its own kind. The meat strands and the rice flour makes a good combination. A puttu mould, available in Kerala either as a vertical pipe or in the shape of a coconut shell is normally used to steam the flour mix. There is a hearsay that puttu was traditionally steamed in bamboo shoots.

If the mould is not available, place a wet muslin cloth on the steamer and then place the flour mix on it and steam till brisk steam escapes through the lid.

ingredients for the steam cake

Rice flour – 1 cup

Coconut, grated – ¾ cup

Water  - ½ cup or less

Salt – ½ tsp

ingredients for the meat mixture

Meat (boiled & minced) *– 250 gms

Onion, finely chopped – 1

Green chilly, finely chopped – 1

Garlic finely chopped – 1tsp

Garlic finely chopped – ½ tsp

Garam Masala – ½ tsp

Chilly powder – ½ tsp

Pepper powder – ½ tsp

Coriander leaves, finely chopped (optional) – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

* Boil the meat and mince it in a mixer grinder – place the meat pieces in a mixer jar and run the mixie for just 1 second. The meat will become strands as seen in the picture.

Heat oil in a pan and stir in the onion, green chilly, garlic and ginger. Stir till the onion start to brown. Add salt, garam masala, chilly and pepper powder. Stir for a few seconds and place the minced meat. Stir till the meat is crisp. Add the coriander and stir for few more seconds.

rice mixture

Place the rice flour and coconut in a bowl. Make a salt solution and sprinkle it on the rice mix while simultaneously mixing the rice flour to form crumbs. When the rice mix is completely moist stop adding water.

Place 1 tbsp meat mix in the puttu mould and then place 3 tbsp rice mixture and then place 1 tbsp meat mix, continue filling the mould until it is full. Cover and place the puttu mould on a steamer until brisk steam escapes through the lid. Let it steam for 2 minutes to let the meat mince turn soft. Irachi puttu is ready. Serve hot.